Malachy Tallack - That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali spoke to author and singer/songwriter Malachy Tallack about his new novel and album, both of which are called That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz.

Malachy tells us which came first, and how they developed, before giving a brief synopsis of the novel. He talks about the two strands and explains why these were stories he wanted to tell, before discussing his central characters of Sonny and Jack, and how their tales are intertwined.

The two then talk about the album, which are 'Jack's songs' and how the idea to record them came about, the inspirations behind it, the importance of country music to Shetland, and the complexities of recording songs written by a fictional character.

Also under discussion is the influence of music in our formative years, the importance of place, how seemingly insignificant words or events can be carried for a lifetime, the differences between contentment and happiness, and a whole lot more.

That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz is one of the best novels of the year, and also a wonderful collection of songs, and it was a pleasure to be able to talk to Malachy about both. Each is worthy of your attention, but when taken together you have something very special indeed.

For full details, including all the ways to listen, head to https://www.scotswhayhae.com